Fall for you
by ktlynrose
Summary: Haley James is a single mother. Her son, Jamie, is four years old. Will she ever be able to let someone else in after being broken for so long? It would seem not, that is until she meets a tall, handsome blue-eyed, dark haired stranger.
1. Chapter 1

**Haley James is a single mother. Her son, Jamie, is four years old. Will she ever be able to let someone else in after being broken for so long?**

Haley was exhausted. She had just gotten home from work at the café and went to check on her sleeping son. She smiled as she saw his sleeping figure in the bed that they shared. She didn't make enough money to buy an actual house. So she ended up with a small but cozy apartment, in which there was only one bedroom, one bathroom, and an open kitchen/ living room. It was small but over the last couple of months she had learned to call it home.

She didn't waste any time going into the bathroom to change into some pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt. She finished getting ready for bed and walked over to move her son to his side of the bed. He always seemed to roll over onto her side when she wasn't there. He was four years old and the best thing that had ever happened to her. His name was Jamie and he was so full of life. What days she did have off she always spend with him and she was always twice as exhausted as she was now. He always had so much energy.

She tried not to think about his father too much. He was such a monster. She remembered the feeling she would get around him before it all had started. She thought he had loved her, but after she had told him that she was pregnant he got tired of her. He then proceeded at every chance he got to verbally abuse her. After awhile he started hitting her and that is when she knew she had to get out, to get away from him. She couldn't have her child growing up with such a monstrous person as a father. They weren't married and being hit once too many times that day she decided she had to do something about it. So one night after he had gone down to the local bar, which he was part owner of, she packed her things and left. She hitched a ride with a trucker who was on his way to the next state over and she never looked back.

After settling down on her side, her son had moved back over and sidled up to her. She brought him in for a kiss on the forehead and said, "I love you, Jamie." And with that she could feel her eyelids slowly closing and her mind settling down. Within a minute she was asleep.

"Momma, wake up."

"Hmmm…" she mumbled as she tried to stay asleep.

"Wakey. Wakey." The little voice said again as the tiny hand tapped on her shoulder.

She knew she had to open her eyes to greet her little boy. "Hi, baby. How'd you sleep?" she asked as she sat up in the bed.

"Great!" He said to her.

"Hmmm… I'm glad. Me too." She lied. To her it felt like she had barely gone to sleep five minutes before being woken up. _Isn't that always how it is though. _It felt like she never got enough sleep.

Before she could say anything else he jumped up and ran into the bathroom without closing the door.

"Bud, you better learn to close the door." She commented while getting up, going over and closing it.

She could barely hear him as he plead, "but momma, I like having the door open. It makes me feel safe knowing that you are just right there."

At that she felt her heart break at his words. He was one smart kid. She knew he got his book smarts from her but his street smarts, she didn't know where he got those from; she wasn't the smartest chip in the cookie when it came to things about life. She had gotten fairly good grades, she was a high B student, throughout her high school career. She had always thought of herself as a smart girl. But that was before she had moved in with her ass of a boyfriend, accidentally gotten pregnant, was abused and left. She realized that moving in with her boyfriend had been one stupid mistake. Before leaving she finished her senior year of high school. She had finally graduated but of course being that she had no money and she was fleeing from an abusive relationship she really didn't have the choice or the means to go to college.

Dragging herself out of her past she brought herself to the present. "Oh, baby. You know I'll always be here just on the other side of the closed door."

"But Mom…" he started

"No buts." She interrupted. "Now let's get ready for the day. Whatdaya say, buddy? Beach?" She knew how he would react. She had the day off. After all it was Saturday, one of the only days she got to spend with her little boy. She knew he wouldn't say no to the beach. She wondered when it would come…

He opened the door and smiled up at her. "Oh yeah! Beach Beach Beach." He started chanting.

"Well first, you better have washed your hands. Did you flush the toilet?" She questioned him sternly. She had not heard it flush so she already knew the answer.

"Oops, I forgot." He proceeded to flush and wash his hands.

"Did you forget something?" She laughed, as he ran past her. She was looking at the toilet seat. It was still up. She shook her head and silently laughed, '_Boys, they always forget to put the seat down'. _

"Oh, sorry mommy." He laughed as he was running out of the room. He didn't come back to put the seat down though, so she had to do it.

A few hours later, after packing a lunch and getting Jamie buckled up in the car, they were headed for the beach. It was an easy five minute drive but another five minutes to find a parking spot. The beach was crowded today. It was the first really warm day of the spring. The college-age and high school kids were out in droves. She had to circle around the parking lot a few times before she saw someone leave. She quickly pulled into the open spot before someone could get it before her.

She unbuckled her seat belt and got out. She went around the car and opened up the door for Jamie. He was already unbuckled and jumped up into her arms as soon as the door was open.

"Woah, bud. Be careful. You are a bit too heavy for me to carry. Can you hold my hand as we walk instead?"

"Sure Momma. But just so you know I am short for my age."

_Where did he hear that, I wonder._ She thought to herself as she put him down and laughed.

"Oh you are are you?" She joked.

He was still holding on to her and wouldn't let go. Before he did let go of her he gave her a big sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you sweetie." She said shutting the door. They walked to the back and opened it up. She got out the beach ball and handed it to Jamie, then reached in for her beach bag and the small ice chest with their lunch in it. She pushed the door shut, grabbed Jamie's hand and headed for the sand.

**Next Chapter is coming up soon. Read and Review please. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the second chapter. Hope you all like it... **

"Will you play with me Momma?"

"Sure, bud. I am gonna put my stuff down first then we can do whatever you want. But we can't leave our stuff, okay?" she says, looking down at him. '_How can anyone say no to that face'?_ She thought as he looked up, smiled and nodded.

"I have everything planned, we'll play with the beach ball then we will build a huge sand castle." He says excited.

They stepped onto the sand at that point. Haley undid her sandals and let her feet bury into the sand. She loved that feeling. It was scorching on top but underneath the surface it was a bit cooler. They walked hand in hand towards the ocean. About ten feet away she stopped them and set her stuff down. Jamie watched as she took out her beach towel and spread it out. She then took out another towel a little smaller and laid it right next to hers.

"One for you and one for me."

She smiled at him. He always knew what to say to melt her heart. "Are you ready yet? Can we play now?"

"Of course baby, but let's stay right around here. I don't want to lose any of our stuff. Especially our lunch. We'll be needing that later." She told him.

"Yay!" he exclaimed as he took his mom's hand again and brought her away from their stuff so they would have room.

"Okay but take it easy on me. I'm not as young as I once was."

"Were you ever as young as me?" He asked, as they started to toss it back and forth.

"Of course I was silly. Everyone is young at least once in their life."

"That's cool! So you have the… what's the word I'm looking for?" He trailed off.

"Possibility, umm… how about potential?" She asked, tossing the ball back at him.

"Oh, that's a good one. You have the potential to be young like me again?"

'_He is so silly. And she loved him for it.'_ "Um…. Sure bud. Whatever you say." But she wasn't paying any attention any more.

There was a young man coming their way. He was running towards them and looking right past them. He was concentrating on his breathing. He had a sweat stain on his grey t-shirt. Obviously he had been running for awhile.

But she was brought out of her thoughts as she was brought back to reality with the beach ball.

"Hey you didn't catch it." Her son pointed out. "One point for me."

"So that is how this game works. If one of us drops the ball then the other gets the point?"

"Yeah! Duh." He laughs.

And they kept going. But not before she dropped the ball again and it was blown right into the runner's path. He was concentrating so hard that he didn't see it in time and almost tripped over it. But the wind had blown it further and now it was in the ocean. The runner took out the headphone in his left ear as he picked it up and looked at them.

'_Oh!'_ Haley's breath caught in her throat, '_Wow, look at those eyes. They are really blue.'_

Jamie ran up to him, "Can I have my ball back, please?"

"Sure here you go." The man replied, handing over the ball.

"Sorry about that." Haley apologized.

"Oh, it's no problem." He replied again, putting his headphone back in. He looked at them for a moment longer, smirked, then turned and started running again.

"Thank you." She said even though he was already gone. She stared at his retreating back. She could see the pier in the distance.

"Momma, let's build a sand castle, now." Her son demanded.

"Okay, baby. But we don't have any buckets or anything. So if it doesn't turn out that good don't blame me," she started. "And maybe we should put some sunscreen on. I wouldn't want you to get a sunburn..."

She went and grabbed the sunblock out of her bag and put some on herself. Jamie was a bit tougher. He wouldn't stand still long enough. "Bud, you need to stand still so that it won't be uneven."

After the five minutes of torture, they finally started building…

"What do you think, Jame?" Haley asked, stepping back from their masterpiece.

"It looks pretty good."

"It should." She began, "It took nearly four hours."

It had taken about four hours but that was just because they didn't have any of the shovels or buckets that you would normally have to build one with.

Haley realized she was starving. That meant that Jamie probably was too.

"Oh man, am I completely wiped."

"Yeah," she exhaled. "I don't know about you but I'm hungry. Whatdaya say? Let's look and see what we have to eat…"

"Okay."

They walked back to their stuff. Haley had a surprise waiting for him, if he could find it.

"Jam? Have you seen the cooler?" Haley asked him confused. But she had a smile on her face.

"No. Why? Is it still in the car?" He questioned back, looking around.

"No, I brought it with me, remember?"

"What's that?" he asked as he saw an old tattered piece of paper on his towel. He picked it up. The first side was blank so he turned it over. On the other side was a…

"Treasure-map." He blurted. He then looked at his mom and saw that she was smiling.

"What is it, bud?" She smiled wider as he handed it to her. "Do you want to find the treasure or look for our food?"

"Treasure, Treasure Treeaaassssuuure." He exclaimed, loudly.

"Okay, we can find the treasure. But let's see if someone will watch our stuff for us, kay?"

Soon enough, one of their beach neighbors agreed to watch Haley's stuff.

"Thank you." Haley called as the couple with two little kids moved their stuff closer to hers.

"Okay bud, let's go find that treasure." She started. "Where do we go from here?"

"Let's see. There are two people and there is a line drawn from them away from the squiggly lines. Is that supposed to be the ocean?"

"I don't know bud, you're the one with the map."

"Okay I think we go this way. Going towards the ocean would just be weird." They started walking on the sand towards the parking lot, away from the ocean. That's when he spotted it. "Look mom. Another one."

He ran towards it, with Haley hot on his heels. Sticking to the cement blocks next to the pavement was another note like the first one. Jamie grabbed it and started running again.

"Hey, Jame. Wait up. I can't run as fast as you." She hollered, out of breath. "You should also tell me what it says." Although she already knew what it says. She's the one who made this whole treasure hunt anyways. She had put this whole thing together after work yesterday with some help from a friend. That's why she was so tired last night.

Jamie stopped and looked at his mom. He then waited the five minutes it took for her to get to him. "Come on, mom. What if someone finds our treasure first? Huh, what then?"

"I really don't think anyone will find it. I think we are the only ones with a map that leads to it. And look another clue." She pointed to the stick with a red ribbon on it.

He ran to it and picked up the stick. The end that was in the sand had a note on it. He looked at it and started running again. He then remember his mom and stopped again to wait.

"Thank you bud." Then they kept on going. He showed her the map to make sure they were going the right way. Haley nodded her approval and they went towards the pier in the distance.

Jamie was having a hard time finding the next clue though. He didn't know that the next clue would be their last. They were almost to the pier when Haley got the feeling that someone was watching her. She turned to see who it was.

**Little cliff-hanger for yah there... Next chapter will be up soon. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again, **

**Sorry I haven't done anything on this story in awhile. But here s the third chapter. I am going in order of the stories on my manage list so if ur waiting for another one to be updated it will be coming soon, most likely. I am actually remaking the story _Save me, save you _so look for the remake of that. Same plot just different time of the series. **

**Disclaimer I own nothing...**

* * *

Haley didn't have time to turn towards the striking blue eyes watching her from a distance. Her son, in his hurry and wanting to go faster, grabbed her hand and pulled her forward as he ran to the pier.

The man watching her had to stifle a laugh with his hand. He was practically laughing just watching her with that cute kid of hers.

Haley clutched a beam of the pier as she caught her breath. '_Geez Louise, this playing business is too much. This is the last time I ever do this.' _ But she knew in her heart that sure enough there would be a next time and she would surely do it all over again. It was inevitable, having a kid like Jamie.

"Where is the clue, Momma? I can't find it anywhere. It's not here." He said frustratingly throwing sand in the air.

"Well if you just wait a sec for me to catch my breath I can help you." Haley laughed.

"I'll catch my breath too." Jamie took a breath and blew it out and tried to catch it in the air.

Haley laughed at her son, "that's not what that means. It's an expression, sweetie. It means to sit and relax." '_The things my boy comes up with.' _She thought to herself as she sat down on the cool sand under the shade of the pier.

Not soon after her son plopped down right next to her.

* * *

Nathan watched the young mother, at least he thought she was young not to mention gorgeous, and her blonde-haired son. He watched as she sat down on the sand and the little boy followed suit.

He turned to start the second half of his run that day. He then spotted a red flag out of the corner of his eye. It was tied to the pier about a quarter of the way from the sidewalk. '_Hmmm... I wonder what that is doing there?' _

He stalked over to it and took it off the beam. There was a pocket with a note inside. He unfolded the parchment paper and written there in delicate handwriting, it read, '_Dearest treasure hunter, you are well on your way to finding the treasure buried here on this beach so long ago, under this wood piled high as a pier. It is with great pleasure and regret that this will be the last clue I will be giving to you. So be on your way to the sea and back four times. There be the treasure you seek, sailor.' _

It was signed, the '_Dread Pirate James'._

Meanwhile, down the beach a bit Haley was relaxed and ready for the rest of the hunt. It seemed as if Jamie was ready as well.

"Hey Momma. I'm ready now. You ready?"

"You betcha." She began, getting up. "Lets go."

Jamie started looking around him for the last clue. But since Haley knew right where it was she turned to look up the beach and she stared at him in shock.

Nathan heard a little voice. He looked up just in time to see the little blonde boy run into him. "I'm sorry mister. I know I'm not supposed to talk to strangers but I think that's mine."

"Are you the dread pirate James then?"

"Who?" The little boy asked. He was stumped on that one. He reached for the note and Nathan handed it to him.

Nathan then sat on his haunches to make his eyes level with the boys.

Haley walked up to the two and saw the man with the striking blue eyes and raven hair squat in front of her son. '_Aww... That is so cute. Not to mention he is quite handsome.' _

She was brought out of her thoughts by her son. "Hey Momma, this nice man found my clue." He said beaming up at her.

"He sure did, bud. Now what's it say?"

He read it out loud to her and looked up at her questioningly, "who is the _d__read pirate James?_ Is he related to us mommy?"

"I'm not sure Jame." She smiled.

He then looked to the man who had found his note and wondered if he was the one who wrote the note. "Are you him?"

"Who me? No. At least I don't think so." He looked up at the young woman standing in front of him.

Once Haley heard the man's voice she was off again. Off to lala land, dreaming about his sexy voice whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

The two males kept talking. "What's your name then?"

"Nathan. And what's yours?"

"James Lucas... uh... Momma, what's my last name?... Momma?" Young Jamie turned to look at his mom.

She wasn't answering him so he decided to be a little bit more forceful. He went to her and pulled on her arm to catch her attention.

Haley felt a pull on her arm and looked down. It was her son. He was trying to ask her a question.

"What's my last name?" He asked again.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because the nice man who helped find the next clue wants to know."

Haley looked at the man in front of her once again. "Harper. It's Harper." She could see that the man looked to be nice but she would keep close just in case he wasn't. She wanted to be able to protect her son from all the bad things in the world.

"James Lucas Harper. That's my name. But you can call me J-Luke, or Jamie." The little boy gave the older man the information.

The two shook hands while Haley stood off to the side a little.

"It is nice to meet you." Nathan started. He was intrigued by the little family standing in front of him. "And who is this little lady?" He asked standing up to his full height.

"Oh, this is my Momma." He took his mom's small hand and put it in Nathan's big hand.

At his touch she felt something go through her, like an electric current. "Haley James. It's a pleasure to meet you..."

Nathan, Nathan Scott." '_It sure is...' _Nathan thought to himself.

Neither one was willing to let go of the others hand. _'I__ wonder if he felt it too.'_

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**Oh, cliffhanger... **

**Hope you all liked it! Reviews are most welcome.**


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